药膏 (yào gāo) — ointment, salve | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

ointmentsalve

Measure word · 支

Examples

药膏。
Zhè zhǒng yào gāo hěn yǒu xiào.
This type of ointment is very effective.
药膏。
Yī shēng gěi wǒ kāi le yì guǎn yào gāo.
The doctor prescribed a tube of ointment for me.
药膏。
Měi tiān zǎo wǎn cā liǎng cì yào gāo.
Apply the ointment twice daily, morning and evening.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

药yàomedicine

药 as medicine and 膏 as paste combine for a medicinal ointment.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 藥; 药 is its simplified writing.

艹樂藥

Meaning part形符xíngfú

艹Written in full as艸cǎograss

Sound part声符shēngfú

樂

樂lè藥yào

Same sound today

In the traditional form 藥, 艹 shows grass and 樂 gives the sound; this story is about 藥, not about the simplified 药.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

肉肉ròumeat

Sound part声符shēngfú

高

高gāo膏gào

Same sound today

膏 combines 高 as a sound part with 肉 (meat) as its meaning part.

Appears in

Medicine & Treatment

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.